Mycelium-based biomaterials

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

The societal challenge we are addressing relates to the overuse of EPS foam plastics (and other unsustainable materials) meanwhile circularizing systems of production and consumption. Emerging public awareness and regulation has signaled the need for more sustainable alternatives. Still, plastic use is on the rise. This is particularly true for Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam plastics. Further, the construction businesses and interior design industry struggles to find moldable, sustainable replacements for high-CO2 products, low recycling rate products such as mineral wool. This presents a challenge particularly for the development of environmentally-friendly buildings. For these products, no viable alternatives have emerged that compete on cost, performance, and significant environmental benefits – until now. Our solution is to develop a price and performance competitive bio-based materials made out of fungi. Mycelium (the root structure of fungi) offers particular structural benefits as a material. When grown in a ligno-cellulosic substrate, mycelium forms a porous composite structure, with similar properties to EPS foam plastics, offering a range of potentials as a sustainable replacement over a range of uses. Our solid-state fermentation technology presents the opportunity to transform large volume, low-value “waste” products from agriculture, forestry, and bio-refineries into high-value EPS foam replacements. Our solution presents a number of benefits over conventional EPS and mineral wool. Mycelium bio-composite production requires only a fraction of the CO2 and energy. It does not produce any harmful bi-products or use non-renewable resources. And it's 100% compostable in nature. As a result, a number of low CO2, compostable sustainable materials can be made for a range of industries, from packaging to thermal insulation to soundproofing. At scale, we aim to be a cost and performance competitive alternative to EPS plastics in a range of applications.